#199 - Spring Dragon Poetry Festival (IV)
Shen Ran?
The tenth Child of the Heavenly Dao?
He just appeared like that?
Should I just kill him now?
Although I don't know his cultivation level, 500 points should be enough for a "Divine Strike," right?
After all, the main task tonight is to deal with the Liu family. It's best not to create too many complications to be safe.
Quickly making up his mind, the expression on Wei Changtian's face gradually returned to calm.
He quietly moved to the side of the boat and asked Liang Zhen, who seemed to be enjoying the spectacle, in a low voice.
"Uncle Liang, what is Shen Ran's cultivation level? Can you tell?
"His strength is at most at the sixth rank."
Liang Zhen had probably been observing for a while, so he immediately gave the answer: "However, he is not following the path of Daoism, but rather a cultivation method of the Confucian school."
The world is vast, and although the path of cultivation leads to the same destination, the methods are countless.
It's just that most martial artists in Da Ning basically follow the path of Daoism.
Wei Changtian was not surprised by this. After pondering for a moment, he whispered a few words to Liang Zhen, and then sat back down without saying anything more.
At this time, Shen Ran in the pavilion spoke again.
"The world says that in literature, there is no first place, but I don't think so."
"Good is good, and bad is bad."
"The poem I just wrote is clearly better, but you only humiliate me in every way because I am not a person of Da Ning."
"Such behavior is truly ridiculous."
"Forget it, I only came to this Spring Dragon Poetry Meet today for one person."
"Su Sheng..."
Turning his head to look at Su Wu, Shen Ran slowly asked word by word: "I wonder if I can have a competition with you?
"..."
To be honest, although Shen Ran was arrogant, his attitude towards Su Wu was still good.
However, these words were more ear-piercing than cursing to the ears of others.
What kind of thing are you to compare with the Sage?
No one believed that Su Wu would lose to Shen Ran, but no one was willing to have Su Wu personally defeat Shen Ran.
One is a Poetry Sage of a country, the ceiling of the poetry field.
The other is an unknown junior from another country.
Even if this kind of competition is won, it will be won in a suffocating way. Although it will not become a laughing stock for the world, it is definitely a humiliation for the Da Ning poetry world.
Therefore, before Su Wu could answer, there was a burst of indignant challenges around him.
"Arrogant! To deal with you, there is no need for Su Sheng, I am enough!"
"That's right! If you are really so confident, then I will compete with you!"
"Only by defeating us will you be qualified to compare with Su Sheng, but I'm afraid you won't have this chance!"
"Count me in!"
"And me!"
"..."
In an instant, more than a dozen people stood up around, some were indeed confident in their poetic talent, and some were impulsive due to excitement.
But no matter what, this momentum has come up.
Seeing their own country's literati so tough, the thousands of "literature lovers" watching by the lake also shouted loudly to cheer them on.
"Good! This is the backbone of my Da Ning literati!"
"Let this kid understand what it means that there are people beyond people, and there is heaven beyond heaven!"
"This little girl is sixteen years old, and my family is wealthy. Whoever can win, I am willing to be his ink-grinding maid!"
"This girl is truly a heroine!"
"..."
Favorable timing, geographical advantages, and popular support, it can be said that everything is on the side of Da Ning literati at the moment.
Everyone present felt that Shen Ran would soon return to Da Li in disgrace and become a laughing stock for the world's literati.
Only Wei Changtian didn't think so.
Child of the Heavenly Dao, do you think this is a joke?
A person like Shen Ran would be the protagonist in a general web novel. Su Wu may not be able to beat him even if he goes into battle himself, so how can this group of crooked melons and cracked dates deal with him?
They are just stepping stones for the protagonist to show off.
Wei Changtian had already begun to feel sad for the literati of Da Ning in advance, while the latter were now full of confidence, vying to be the first to take the stage, so as to become famous in the Da Ning literary world.
Shen Ran calmly watched this scene, twitched the corner of his mouth and smiled softly.
"Since that's the case, then come on."
"Don't worry, you all have a chance."
The moon sets and the starry river shines, the scenery of Sun and Moon Lake is still as beautiful as before.
However, apart from Shen Ran and Wei Changtian, everyone's mood was very unhappy at this moment.
The cheering shouts on the shore had long disappeared, replaced by a deathly silence.
In just two quarters of an hour, eight famous figures in the Da Ning literary world, eight completely different topics, and then eight consecutive losses.
Shen Ran wrote eight poems in a row, each of which could attract at least dozens of golden-tailed carp to jump out of the water.
On the other hand, on the side of the Da Ning literati, the best one had only reached twenty or so.
Even...
"Plop!"
In the pavilion, a young man with bright eyes and sword-like eyebrows slumped to the ground, muttering in an almost desperate tone.
"I... I can't write it, I can't write it..."
"..."
This young man has the same surname as Shen Ran, named Shen Lu, and is a well-known talent in Shu Prefecture. He just passed the provincial examination last year and became a successful candidate.
The topic he drew was "Tide", which was slightly difficult, but it would never be to the point where he couldn't write it.
So his current performance only shows one thing - he is afraid.
Shen Ran, who had won eight consecutive victories, was like an insurmountable giant mountain, causing Shen Lu to lose his composure before he even started. It was normal for him to be unable to write a poem in a panic.
In fact, this was already a surrender, but no one laughed at him.
Nor did anyone accuse or get angry.
Perhaps everyone was like him, and had long lost confidence in defeating Shen Ran.
"If you can't write it, then change to the next one."
Glancing at Shen Lu, whose literary heart had collapsed, Shen Ran raised his eyes and looked at another person.
This person only made eye contact with Shen Ran for a moment, and then trembled and took a step back.
This step had already declared his defeat.
"..."
The breeze floated the black robe. Although there were still many people standing at this moment, they all seemed to be shorter than Shen Ran.
By the lake, countless people turned their heads in frustration, sadness, or despair, unable to bear to see their own country's literati suffer such humiliation.
Until a tall figure slowly stood up from a small boat.
"Enough."
"Young Master Shen, let me write this poem."
"..."
Let me write this poem.
The small voice, six words, was like a shot in the arm, instantly igniting the last ray of hope in everyone's hearts.
That's right!
We still have Su Sheng!
Da Ning hasn't lost yet!!
No one is going to dwell on issues such as bullying the younger generation or relying on the strong to bully the weak.
If Shen Ran cannot be defeated tonight, the Da Ning poetry world will fall to the bottom from now on, and there will be no chance to rise again.
Thousands of eyes focused on Su Wu, carrying unparalleled weight.
This is a battle between poets of two countries, a battle between literati of two countries, and if it is said more seriously, it is a battle between the literary paths of two countries.
The crowd who came to see the style of the Poetry Sage would never have imagined that things would develop to such a point.
But they have no other thoughts in their minds at this time, just repeatedly praying.
Su Sheng, for the literary path of Da Ning, for the dignity of the literati of Da Ning...
Please, you must win...
Preview, starting from the next chapter, continuous climax.
